Issues include policies to promote walking, promoting pushing past
standing riders on the escalator, elimination of yellow boundary markers
on escalator steps, slowed operating speeds which promote the
"skoozeme, skoozeme" culture on the escalators and train
platforms, and a general disregard for passenger safety.

Escalator Safety Notices

First, WMATA's infamous platform announcement, "You
will notice people stand to the right."

WMATA's modified safety notice, specifically changed from
the notice prepared by The American Society of Mechanical Engineers
(ASME)/American National Standards Institute Escalator Committee. The
ASME notice recommends standing to the center of the step and not to one
side!

The ASME notice:

"Here are some steps you can take to prevent escalator
injuries:
* Make sure shoes are tied before getting on an escalator.
* Stand in the center of the step and be sure to step off of the
escalator at the end of your ride.. . .* Avoid the sides of steps where entrapment can
occur."CPSC Press Release #08-264

"Elevator Safety
Tips← (That's an interesting
name for a warning.)Stand to the right, facing forward. . .Stay clear of moving parts. Keep your hands, feet, and clothing
clear of the side panels of the escalator. Make sure you have no dangling
clothing or loose shoelaces. Baggy clothes, rubber boots, and loose
shoelaces can get caught in the moving parts of the escalator.. . ."
www.wmata.com/rail/elevators_escalators/escalator_safety.cfm

(To their credit, they do suggest removing baggy clothes,
etc. Please send photos, but be selective!)

The "moving parts" wording is particularly bizarre for a
prepared statement, since the only exposed moving parts on an escalator
are the steps and the handrail. It's the stationary parts (e.g., the
balustrades) that should be avoided, but that would directly contradict
Metro's "Stand to the right" statement.

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA), together with the
Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation, published a transit brochure on escalator safety.
The WMATA "Tips" are in apparent contradiction with their
own industry agencies' recommendations:

WHEN RIDING ESCALATORS:
· Stand toward the middle of the step — away from the sides and
face forward. Don't lean against the sides.. . .

Apparently Metro's "Stand to the right" statement directly
contradicts its own industry association's published safety brochure!

Perhaps US Industry is too safety conscious. Let's see what they do
overseas.

Well, maybe India is too formal, or perhaps industry is still following
British thinking. Let's find an emerging country with a reputation for
industrial pragmatism...
We'll try Korea:

Don't even think of going near the escalators.

It is forbidden to refer to the Dear Leader as "that f**kin a**hole" ...

Oh.. wrong Korea.
Here's one...

Happy Together with Citizens
5 6 7 8 Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corp
...
Public Order
...
3. Please do not walk or run when riding the escalator for your
safety."[-->2]

In reality, Korea had briefly experimented with a "Stand to One
Side" regimen a few years back.
[3]

The Koreans also seem to know something about escalator reliability. They
attribute escalator breakdowns and equipment failures to people standing
to one side. WMATA could significantly improve the reliability of
its escalators by the simple expedient of restoring the yellow edge
stripes on their steps.

The Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit - which runs subway lines five
through eight - announced last week it is going to ban people from walking
up station escalators because of an increase in accidents

"In 2002, there were 16 accidents on escalators on subway lines
five to eight, but the accident rate increased to 87 in 2006, mainly due
to walking passengers on escalators," SMRT spokesman Kim Wan-gi
was quoted as saying ... "We urge passengers not to walk on
escalators because it is dangerous."

He added an observation that seems very relevant to Washington
Metro:

Kim said the weight of all the passengers standing on the right also
has created mechanical problems ... .

Hmm.. Korea is too concerned with advanced technological development.
Okay, where else can we look...

How about China? After all, China is known for safety
conscious procedures.

If we can only find something in English. Oh, here's something:

"Some commuters, however, have the habit of walking on the
'fast lane' of escalators, exposing themselves to the risk of accidents
and injury.
...
Users are cautioned to exercise care and remain alert while riding an
escalator. And always remember: stand firm, hold the handrail and do not
walk on escalators.
...
Other safety tips include:

... but that's a consumer group. Maybe the local government is less
pedantic. Here's something from "EMSD" (Electrical and
Mechanical Services Department, The Government of the Hong Kong SAR) that
explains the problems caused by people walking:

Why should I hold the handrail when taking the escalator?
Some people like to walk or even run on the escalator. It is indeed very
dangerous. Not only do they affect other passengers on the escalator, they
would also easily lose their balance and trip over. In case the escalator
stops for emergency, those walking on the escalator are likely to tumble
and bump onto other passengers, causing serious injuries. ...

80% of the escalator incidents last year involved passengers losing
balance and tripping over ...
Do not walk on it and do not stand close to the side edge of the escalator
step. " English version of
E&M Safety Newsletter

The Hong Kong metropolitan railway also adapts their escalator speeds to
discourage walking. Their speed ranges between 0.5 m/sec (slightly
faster than Metro[4] ) to 0.67 m/sec. (30 to 40 m/minute), presumably dependent on access
to elevators. During rush hour peaks, the speed can be increased to
0.75 m/sec. (45 m/minute).

"Earlier this month, the Guangzhou Metro operator in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, said in an official social media post that it would stop promoting 'walk on the left, stand on the right' for safety reasons and instead encourage commuters to stand on both sides."

"Maintenance data showed that 95 per cent of the network’s escalators showed more wear on the right, resulting in more malfunctions, and eventually a shorter service life."

"A Guangzhou Metro employee also said it was also not safe to walk on the escalator because the steps had higher risers than staircases and passengers could easily trip over."
South China Morning Post 29-Apr-2018

General Secretary of the Communist Party Xi Jinping described achieving "the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." and forward-thinking to "comprehensively develop modestly prosperous society (one of The Four Comprehensives)." I would say that accessible and safe public conveyances are forward-looking common values.

Okay, then Metro doesn't meet the safety standards of developing
countries, but for good reason... Countries like China may be just
too strict when it comes to safety. (Or more likely just consider passenger safety a priority.)

Perhaps they could look toward other systems in the US. Hows-about New
York? No, too formal.

Make that New Jersey -- PATH (The Port Authority of NJ
and NY Trans Hudson Railroad).

No "Happy Together with Citizens". Their motto is,
"Yeah, we run PATH. What's it to you?"

They got to keep the escalators safe because they's got people buried in
the concrete underneath them.

Simple and straightforward. In New Jersey, if you want to hear something
like one of Metro's announcements, you need the lyrics to Springsteen's
Blinded By the Light, or just street graffiti. For escalator
safety on the PATH, "Do not walk on escalators" will have
to do.

It's now apparent why WMATA calls its passengers "customers" and
not "riders" or "patrons". "Customers" are
treated with utter contempt and total disregard for safety.
Footnotes:

[3]^ Korea went to a "do
not walk" rule after experimenting with a "stand right, pass
left" rule in line with a nationwide reversal of "walk
left" imposed under Japanese colonial rule. The result was a 500%
increase in serious injury accidents (16 vs. 87).